Image processing method for generating easily readable image

ABSTRACT

A character area is detected in a reduced layout and a character is detected in the character area, and a character size is compared to a predetermined size readable by a user when characters are printed. A detected character size determined to be smaller than the predetermined size is enlarged. An object adjacent to the detected character in an original document is detected and a content of the objects is determined. A layout position in which a relationship between the enlarged detected characters and the objects is kept is determined according to the determined content and the enlarged characters are arranged. The whole document can be output automatically in an easily viewable state while keeping a meaningful layout relationship between the objects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing, and particularlyrelates to an image processing method with a function for generating aneasily readable image.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, there has been known a digital copier which lays out aplurality of original documents with the same size on an image memoryaccording to a size of an output sheet and prints out the documents(with a reduced layout).

A method of using the digital copier is to perform the setting on a sizeof original documents desired to be copied, on a size of the outputsheets, and on the number of original documents desired to be collectedand output for one output sheet and to perform a copy.

However, there is the possibility that when characters of the originaldocuments are small or when a number of pages are collected into onepage, since a reduction rate increases in performing a reduced layout,characters after the output are too small to read.

In order to solve this problem, it is considered that techniquesdisclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-374400 areused. That is, it is considered that whether characters with small size(or a character string including a plurality of characters) are includedin the document is automatically determined, if the characters areincluded in the document, only a portion in which the characters areincluded is enlarged to a predetermined size and the whole document isformed to be easily read.

However, the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2002-374400 take notice only of making characters in the documentrecognizable and therefore, relevance to other objects is not shown inthe publication. As a result, in a character object which needs to bearranged corresponding to a graphic object such as a character and agraph scale in a figure and table, a positional relationship betweenboth the objects collapses and the character object reappears as ameaningless layout.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention toprovide an image processing method capable of outputting the wholedocument automatically in an easily viewable state while keeping ameaningful layout relationship between both objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an image processing apparatus, whichcomprises detection means for detecting a character image includedwithin an original document image and a size of the character image,determination means for determining whether or not a size of thedetected character image is smaller than a predetermined size,enlargement means for enlarging a size of the character image determinedto be smaller by the determination means, and layout means fordetermining a layout position of the enlarged character image by theenlargement means, when an object adjacent to the character image is agraph, so that a content shown by the graph may be distinguished.

When a character which is extremely small in size and not recognizablein printing is determined and enlarged to that of a recognizable size, arelationship between an adjacent object and the character is determinedfrom a content of the object and a character size is enlarged whilekeeping the relationship. Therefore, even in a meaningful character in apositional relationship with the graphic object such as a character anda graph scale in a figure and table, a character size can be enlargedwhile keeping the layout.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processingsystem according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an MFPaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processingunit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process of the image processing systemaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing one example of image data read by an imagereading section according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a view showing one example of a graphic area according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a layout determination process according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a graphic determination process according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a view showing one example of a graph after the process of theimage processing system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view showing one example of the graphic area according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a process of an image processing systemaccording to a second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a view showing one example of the graph after the process ofthe image processing system according to the first embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a view showing one example of a graph after a process of animage processing system according to another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment 1. Configuration ofImage Processing System

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processingsystem according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

This image processing system is realized in an environment in which anoffice 10 is connected to a network 104 such as the Internet.

To a LAN 107 which is constructed in the office 10, there are connectedseveral devices including an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) 100 whichis a complex machine for realizing a plurality of types of functions (acopying function, a printing function, and a transmitting function).That is, in addition to the MFP 100, a client PC 102, a database 105,and a proxy server 103 using the MFP 100 are connected to the LAN 107.

The LAN 107 in the office 10 is connected to the network 104 via theproxy server 103 of each office.

A configuration shown in FIG. 1 is one example according to the presentinvention and a plurality of offices may be present. Further, thenetwork 104 may be typically any one of the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, atelephone line, a dedicated digital line, an ATM, a frame relay line, acommunication satellite line, a cable television line, a radiocommunication line for data broadcasting. Alternatively, a so-calledtelecommunication network realized by a combination thereof may bepreferable and further data may be transmitted and received.

Further, various terminals of the client PC 102 has standard componentsmounted on a general-purpose computer (e.g., a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a harddisk, an external storage device, a network interface, a display, akeyboard, and a mouse), respectively.

Hereinafter, a detailed configuration of the MFP 100 will be describedwith reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the MFP100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, an image reading section 201 including an automaticdocument feeder (ADF) irradiates images on a batch of documents or onone document with a light source (not shown). Then, a reflected imagefrom the documents is formed on a solid image sensor by a lens and abit-map shaped image read signal is obtained from the solid image sensoras bit map data with predetermined resolution (600 dpi and the like).

Further, the MFP 100 has a copying function for printing an imagecorresponding to the image read signal on a recording medium by aprinting section 203. When one document image is copied, this image readsignal is subjected to an image processing by a data processing unit 206to thereby generate a recording signal. Then, the signal is printed onthe recording medium by the printing section 203. On the other hand,when a plurality of document images is copied, the recording signals foreach page are stored and kept once in a storage device 202. Then, thesignals are sequentially output to the printing section 203 and printingis performed on the recording medium.

Further, in a communication function via the network I/F 205, bit-mapdata obtained from the image reading section 201 is converted to objectdata by the below-described processing for transmission to the database105. Alternatively, the object data stored in the database 105 isreceived for reuse, and further, the object data is converted to animage file with a vector data file format such as XPS and PDF to betransferred to the client PC 102.

In the printing function by the printing section 203, for example,printing data output from the client PC 102 is received via the networkI/F 205 by the data processing unit 206. Subsequently, the dataprocessing unit 206, after converting the printing data to a recordingsignal printable with the printing section 203 by an internal imageprocessor, forms images on printing mediums by the printing section 203.

An instruction of an operator to the MFP 100 is performed from an inputsection 204 mounted on the MFP 100, and apparatus operations accordingto these instructions are controlled by a controller (not shown) withinthe data processing unit 206. Further, a state display according to anoperation input and a display of the image data during processing areperformed by a display device 207.

The storage device 202 includes a storage area for storing object dataobtained by the below-described processing, an area for keeping as atable the characteristic quantity for the below-described document sizeand observation distance, and a buffer for an image processing usedduring various image processes in the data processing unit 206. Thestorage device 202 further includes a buffer for editing images forstoring, as data for editing images, data obtained by copying the objectdata when editing images based on the object data.

The data processing unit 206 has a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and an imageprocessor, and loads and stores a control program and data according tothe present embodiment.

Hereinafter, FIG. 3 shows a detailed content of the image processor 300within the data processing unit 206.

In the present embodiment, as one example, RGB multi-valued image datainput from the image reading section 201 is converted to binary imagedata of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) and is output by theprinting section 203.

An input interface 301 receives image data input from the image readingsection 201 and converts the data according to an internal processing.In the present embodiment, the RGB multi-valued image data is input.

A scaling section 302 performs resolution conversion on the input RGBmulti-valued image data according to the resolution of a printer foroutput and the size of a paper to be output, thereby performing anexpansion and reduction processing.

An edge emphasis section 303 performs a sharpness processing and asmoothing processing.

An image rotation processor 304 stores images in a built-in memory onceand processes an image to be rotated by 90 degrees when outputting imagedata input in a vertical position according to output sheets in ahorizontal position.

A color space converting section 305 performs a processing when it isnecessary to convert color space of input image data to another colorspace. In the present embodiment, LOG conversion is performed on RGBimage data input from a scanner and the image data is converted to CMYcolor space data to be output by the printer.

A black generating section 306 extracts a minimum value of CMY as a Ksignal value.

An output color density-adjusting section 307 adjusts color taste andadjusts density of each of the colors by adjusting each value of CMYK inaccordance with characteristics of the printer.

In the present embodiment, for the purpose of creating data for colorbinary printer output, a binarization processing section 308 performs abinary conversion processing such as a random dithering to therebyoutput a binary signal with each one bit of CMYK.

An output interface 309 acts as an interface to the printing section203. In the present embodiment, the CMYK binary image data is output.

It is assumed that all of the settings and the operations of each of theprocessing sections are controlled by control signals output from a CPUwithin the data processing unit 206. All of the setting of variablemagnification of the scaling section 302, the coefficient of filteringof the edge emphasis section 303, the presence or absence and angle ofrotation of the image rotation processor 304, and the processing methodof the binarization processing section 308 are controlled by the controlsignals output from the CPU.

2. Overview of Image Processing

An outline of the entire image processing including an image processingmethod according to the present invention realized in the imageprocessing system shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with referenceto FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of the entire process performedby the image processing system according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

In step S401, first, the image reading section 201 of the MFP 100 scansand reads an original document in a bitmap state to obtain an imagesignal with 600 dpi and 8 bits, for example. The image signal ispreprocessed in the data processing unit 206 and the processed imagesignal is stored in the storage device 202 as image data (bitmap data)corresponding to one page.

Next, in step S402, when input image signals are scanned data, the dataprocessing unit 206 performs a process for dividing them into areas foreach attribute (block selection (BS)) to perform a content separationprocess (area division process). Specifically, first, the processdivides the image signal to be processed, which is stored in the storagedevice 202, into a character/line drawing area and a half-tone imagearea. The character/line drawing area is further divided into blockscollected as a lump for every paragraph or into tables or graphics drawnby lines, and these are used as a character object or a line drawingobject.

On the other hand, the half-tone image area is divided into so-calledindependent objects (blocks) for each block, such as image areas orbackground areas separated in a rectangular shape.

In the present embodiment, examples of the attributes include TEXT(character), GRAPHIC (line, graphic and table), and IMAGE (image);however, types of the attributes are not limited thereto. Another typeof the attribute can be used according to the application or purpose,alternatively, all the attributes need not be used.

Next, in step S403, the vectorization processing is performed for eachseparated object. In this vectorization processing, characterrecognition is first performed by OCR for the object determined to be aTEXT attribute. Further, the process recognizes the size, style, andcharacter style (font) of characters and converts the recognized datainto font data visibly close to the character obtained by scanning theoriginal document. On the other hand, the object having tables andgraphics structured by lines of the GRAPHIC attribute is converted tovector data by using a technique for outlining and a technique offunction approximation. Further, the image object having Image attributeis subjected to individual JPEG compression as image data. In thepresent embodiment, the TEXT object is subjected to OCR processing tothereby convert characters to the vector data; however, the embodimentis not limited thereto. An outline of the character image may befunctionally approximated to be converted into the vector data.

The vectorization processing to various types of these objects isperformed based on the information of each object and stored as theobject data of the format including the below-described meta data andimage information usable within the MFP 100. Further, layout informationof each of the objects is stored.

Next, in step S404, it is determined whether or not the character areais included, and if the character area is not included, the process inthe image processing system is terminated.

On the other hand, in step S405, if the character area is included, acharacter size for each character area included in the document image isdetected. Further, in step S406, it is determined whether the size ofthe detected character (detection character) is larger or smaller thanthat of the predetermined character previously stored in the dataprocessing unit 206. If an area including characters with the sizesmaller than the predetermined character size is not present, theprocess in this image processing system is terminated.

On the other hand, in step S407, if the area including the characterwith the size smaller than that of the predetermined character ispresent, the characters are enlarged to the same size as that of thepredetermined characters in the entire area including the characterswith the size smaller than that of the predetermined characters. Here,characters adjacent to each other are enlarged in the range recognizableby users.

Next, in step S408, the layout arrangement of the area of character tobe enlarged is determined by the below-described layout determinationmethod. Then, the character area and the area other than the charactersare synthesized to generate the synthesized image.

3. Layout Determination Process

Contents of the layout determination process shown in step S408according to the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the image data 501 read by the imagereading section 201 includes a graphic area 502. As shown in FIG. 6, thegraphic area 502 includes a vertical axis 601, a vertical axis unit(scale of the vertical axis) 602, a horizontal axis 603, a horizontalaxis unit (scale of the horizontal axis) 604, polygonal lines 605 and606, and items 607 and 608.

Here, it is assumed that the character size in each unit composing thehorizontal axis unit 604 is smaller than the predetermined charactersize in displaying (or printing) the characters on the image data 501,and moreover, it is difficult for users to recognize the character type.Contents of the layout determination process when enlarging thecharacter size in the horizontal axis unit 604 will be described belowwith reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7.

Up to step S408 (FIG. 4), the vertical axis 601, the horizontal axis603, and the polygonal lines 605 and 606 are recognized as a linedrawing object of GRAPHIC and further, the vertical axis unit 602, thehorizontal axis unit 604, and the items 607 and 608 are recognized asTEXT.

Referring to FIG. 7, in step S701, it is determined first whether or notGRAPHIC adjacent to the character with the size smaller than that of thepredetermined character is present. Whether the GRAPHIC adjacent to thecharacter is present can be determined based on whether or not theGRAPHIC is present within the predetermined distance from the character,which is previously stored in the data processing unit 206. If theGRAPHIC adjacent to the character is not present, this layoutdetermination process is terminated.

On the other hand, in step S702, if the GRAPHIC adjacent to thecharacter is present, it is determined whether or not the GRAPHICadjacent to the character is a graph by the graphic determinationprocess shown in the below-described FIG. 8. If the GRAPHIC adjacent tothe character is not a graph, this layout determination process isterminated.

On the other hand, in step S703, if the GRAPHIC adjacent to thecharacter is a graph, it is determined whether or not the characterrepresents the axis unit of the graph. If the character does notrepresent the axis unit of the graph, the process goes to step S707.

On the other hand, in step S704, if the GRAPHIC adjacent to thecharacter is a graph, it is determined whether or not the characterrepresents the vertical axis unit of the graph.

If the character represents the vertical axis unit of the graph, in stepS705, the process lays out each of the enlarged vertical axis units tothe vertical axis 601 from a position at which the original character ispresent to a position on the left side in the horizontal direction,particularly, to a position which is prevented from crossing the axisand which is shifted in the vertical direction to the axis.

If the character represents the horizontal axis unit of the graph, instep S706, the process determines to lay out each of the enlargedhorizontal axis units to the horizontal axis 603 from a position atwhich the original character is present to a position on the lower sidein the vertical direction. Particularly, the process lays out thehorizontal axis units from the original position to a position which isprevented from crossing the axis and which is shifted in the verticaldirection to the axis.

In step S707, it is determined whether or not the characters representthe item of the graph (e.g., the item for showing that a polygonal linein a line chart is what data). If it is determined that the charactersdo not represent the graph item, the processing is terminated. On theother hand, if it is determined that the characters represent the graphitem, in step S708, the process determines to lay out each of theenlarged items to a position which is adjacent to the polygonal linecorresponding to each of the items and which is not close to the otherpolygonal lines. That is, the process determines the layout positionsuch that the distance from a character position of the item to each ofthe polygonal lines is found and the polygonal line gets closest to theitem. There is the possibility that when the characters (characterscomposing an axis or characters composing an item for showing that agraph is what data content) composing the graph are enlarged, the graphbecomes meaningless in enlarging the characters without anyconsideration of the graph. To cope with the above, in the presentembodiment, the process lays out the enlarged characters so that usersmay understand the contents shown by the graph (namely, to distinguishthe contents of the graph) even if the characters are enlarged, asdescribed above.

4. Graphic Determination Process

The graphic determination process shown in step S702 according to thepresent invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 8.

First, in step S801, the process recognizes the vertical axis and thehorizontal axis in the graph. Here, among the line drawing objectsrecognized in step S402, one vertical line is recognized as the verticalaxis 601 and another horizontal line is recognized as the horizontalaxis 603 in lines perpendicular to each other.

Next, in step S802, the process recognizes the vertical axis unit. Amongthe character objects recognized in step S402, the character stringadjacent to the vertical axis 601 is recognized as the vertical axisunit 602.

Next, in step S803, the process recognizes the horizontal axis unit.Among the character objects recognized in step S402, the characterstring adjacent to the horizontal axis 603 is recognized as thehorizontal axis unit 604.

Subsequently, in step S804, the process recognizes the polygonal lines.Among the line drawing objects recognized in step S402, line drawingsadjacent to the vertical axis 601 and/or the horizontal axis 603 arerecognized as the polygonal lines 605 and 606.

Next, in step S805, the process recognizes the items. Among thecharacter objects recognized in step S402, characters adjacent to thepolygonal lines 605 and 606 are recognized as the items 607 and 608.

From the above, it can be determined whether or not, when reading theoriginal document of FIG. 5, a character size of each unit composing thehorizontal axis unit 604 in the graphic area 502 of the originaldocument is smaller than the predetermined character size and it isdifficult to recognize characters in the image data 501. If it isdifficult to recognize the characters, each character size of thehorizontal axis unit 604 can be enlarged to a predetermined size capableof the recognition, and moreover, the characters can be arrangedaccording to the layout acting as the horizontal axis unit of the graph,as shown in FIG. 9.

The layout determination process according to the present embodiment candeal with not only the horizontal axis unit 604 but also the verticalaxis unit 602 and the items 607 and 608 by the same processing method.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the line chart according to the presentembodiment shows contents not by types of lines but by a legend graphicsuch as Δ and □ in some times. Even in that case, a size of the legendgraphic is stored in the data processing unit 206 as a predeterminedrecognizable size in place of the character size, and thereby the sameeffect can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, the case where the GRAPHIC adjacent to thecharacters is a line chart is shown; however, a type of the graph is notlimited thereto. When the graph has the vertical axis, the horizontalaxis, and each of the axis units, it can be recognized using the sameprocessing method as that of FIG. 8.

Further, predetermined values of the character size stored in the dataprocessing unit 206 may be set from the display device 207 by a user.

Second Embodiment

Hereinafter, another embodiment according to the present invention willbe described in detail with reference to FIG. 11.

In the first embodiment, there is shown the case where it is difficultto recognize small characters in the reading original document. In thesecond embodiment, the following case will be described. That is, whenthe reduction function is carried out by the scaling section 302 in theimage processor in the data processing unit 206 of the MFP 100, thesmall character which is difficult to be recognized in a reducedoriginal document is determined.

The reduction herein indicates the case where image data in the originaldocument is uniformly reduced by a reduction rate previously set beforereading the original document, or the case where a reduction layout isset. The reduction layout means that 2^(n) original documents are laidout into one output sheet to be printed; it is called as 2in1 and 4in1.

Referring to FIG. 11, in step S1101, the reduction process is set. StepsS1102 to S1105 following the above step are the same as steps S401 toS404 of FIG. 4 and therefore, the description is omitted.

Continuously, in step S1106, a character size after the reduction iscalculated. As a result of the calculation, in step S1107, it isdetermined whether the character size after the calculation is no lessthan the predetermined character size. If the character size is smallerthan the predetermined character size, the character size is enlarged upto the predetermined size. At the same time, the image data of theoriginal document set in step S1101 is subjected to the reductionprocess (step S1109) and the layout of the area is performed in stepS1109. At this time, the layout determination process (FIG. 7) as sameas that of the first embodiment is carried out.

(Others)

In an alternative embodiment, the case is considered that each charactersize of the horizontal axis unit 604 is enlarged up to the predeterminedcharacter size and as a result, the size is larger than the charactersize of FIG. 9 and further, no less than the character size of FIG. 12.In this case, a margin between the units disappears. When furtherexpansion is needed, the characters overlap each other and recognitionof users is disturbed. When the characters are moved not to beoverlapped, the layout is changed from a layout acting as the horizontalaxis unit of the graph.

To cope with the above, as a result of the expansion of the character,when the distance between the axis units is smaller than a predetermineddistance previously stored in the data processing unit 206, thecharacter size is not enlarged to such a character size or more that thedistance may become smaller than the predetermined distance.

Further, in an alternative embodiment, as a result of the expansion,when the character size does not reach the predetermined character size,the adjacent GRAPHIC is enlarged. Thereby, the characters can berecognized as a character as shown in FIG. 13. Moreover, the characterscan be arranged by the layout acting as the horizontal axis unit of thegraph.

Further, in a variation where the second embodiment is modified, as aresult of the expansion, when the character size does not reach thepredetermined character size, restrictions are put on the reduction rateset in step S1101. When the reduction is not performed to therestriction or less, the same function is realized.

Other Embodiments

As described above, the present invention may be applied to a systemcomposed of a plurality of devices (e.g., a host computer, an interfacedevice, a reader and a printer) or may be applied to an apparatusincluding a single device (e.g., a copy machine and a facsimilemachine).

The present invention also includes a case where to make various devicesoperative so as to realize the functions of the above embodiment,software program codes for realizing the functions of the aboveembodiment are supplied to a computer in an apparatus or systemconnected to those various devices, and the various devices are madeoperative in accordance with a program stored in the computer (CPU orMPU) of the system or apparatus.

In this case, the software program codes themselves realize the aboveembodiment functions. Therefore, the program codes themselves and meansfor supplying such program codes to a computer, e.g., a computerreadable storage medium storing such program codes, constitute thepresent invention.

As a storage medium storing such program codes, for example, a floppy(trademark) disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk,a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, and a ROM can beutilized.

Obviously, such program codes are included in the embodiment of thisinvention, not only for the case wherein the above embodiment functionsare realized by executing the program codes supplied to the computer butalso for the case wherein the above embodiment functions are realized bythe program codes in cooperation with an OS (operating system) runningon the computer or with other application software.

Obviously, the present invention further includes the case where afterthe supplied program codes have been stored in a memory which isprovided in a function expansion board included in the computer or in afunction expansion unit connected to the computer, a CPU or the likeprovided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unitcan execute all or part of the actual processing based on theinstructions of the program codes to realize the functions of the aboveembodiments by the processing.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2007-321282, filed Dec. 12, 2007, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: detection means fordetecting a character image included within an original document imageand a size of said character image; determination means for determiningwhether or not a size of the detected character image is smaller than apredetermined size; enlargement means for enlarging a size of thecharacter image determined to be smaller by said determination means;and layout means for determining a layout position of the enlargedcharacter image by said enlargement means, when an object adjacent tosaid character image is a graph, so that a content shown by said graphmay be distinguished.
 2. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising reduction means for reducing an originaldocument image, wherein: when said reduction means reduces the originaldocument image, said detection means detects the character imageincluded within the reduced original document image and a size of saidcharacter image.
 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein: said character image is a character of a scale to an axis ofsaid graph.
 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3,wherein: when said character image is a scale character to an axis ofsaid graph, said layout means lays out said enlarged character image ata position shifted in a direction perpendicular to an axis correspondingto the scale.
 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein: said character image is a character of an item showing a datacontent of said graph.
 6. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 5, wherein: when said character image is an item character showingdata contents of said graph, said layout means lays out said enlargedcharacter image at a position adjacent to a data corresponding to theitem.
 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: asize of the character image enlarged by said enlargement means isenlarged in a range where adjacent characters may be recognized.
 8. Amethod of processing an image, comprising the steps of: detecting acharacter image included within an original document image and a size ofsaid character image; determining whether or not a size of the detectedcharacter image is smaller than a predetermined size; enlarging a sizeof a character image determined to be smaller in the determination step;and determining a layout position of the enlarged character image in theenlargement step, when an object adjacent to said character image is agraph, so that a content shown by said graph may be distinguished.
 9. Acomputer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer toexecute the steps of: detecting a character image included within anoriginal document image and a size of said character image; determiningwhether or not a size of the detected character image is smaller than apredetermined size; enlarging a size of a character image determined tobe smaller in the determination step; and determining a layout positionof the enlarged character image in the enlargement step, when an objectadjacent to said character image is a graph, so that a content shown bysaid graph may be distinguished.